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Help! We need advice on an outdoor plant!

hoffman.deetshoffman.deets Posts: 3
in Plants
We are trying to find a plant that will:
1. do well in 5 hours of direct sun and also in shade
2. survive the occasional/rare freeze (we are in Houston)
3. is fairly bushy and about 2 feet tall
4. Not poisonous to humans

Any suggestions would be appreciated!!!

Posts

  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    My absolute fav gardening book is Plant Driven Design by Scott Ogden. I read it annually! However not sure it would help with your final point.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    You forgot to mention how hot you get - some plants don't like to be baked.  This is a UK based forum with the majority of posters being in the UK tho we do have 2 from Texas and quite a few in Europe and other further flung places. 

    How much rain you get is important too as is what kind of soil you have - clay, loam, sandy, stony, free draining or moisture retentive; alkaline, neutral or acid

    There is a plant selector feature on the RHS website which asks these questions, allows you to specify type of plant, eventual height and season of interest and then suggests plants that will like those conditions.  You can then look them up on their plant database.

    https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/search-form   then scroll down to "Your garden" and fill in the fields.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'm intrigued by point No 4.
    Unless you're planning on actively eating it, why does it have to be non toxic?
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • hoffman.deetshoffman.deets Posts: 3
    Obelixx said:
    You forgot to mention how hot you get - some plants don't like to be baked.  This is a UK based forum with the majority of posters being in the UK tho we do have 2 from Texas and quite a few in Europe and other further flung places. 

    How much rain you get is important too as is what kind of soil you have - clay, loam, sandy, stony, free draining or moisture retentive; alkaline, neutral or acid

    There is a plant selector feature on the RHS website which asks these questions, allows you to specify type of plant, eventual height and season of interest and then suggests plants that will like those conditions.  You can then look them up on their plant database.

    https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/search-form   then scroll down to "Your garden" and fill in the fields.
    Thank you!
  • hoffman.deetshoffman.deets Posts: 3
    Fairygirl said:
    I'm intrigued by point No 4.
    Unless you're planning on actively eating it, why does it have to be non toxic?
    It's for our restaurant, so a leaf could fall into menu item or a small child could eat it :smile:
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Fair enough  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    Really??  Hmmm.

    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    edited February 2022
    Rosemary or sage . And you could even use them  in your restaurant.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    edited February 2022
    I would suggest a decorative salvia or maybe hebe Celine. I have no idea if hebes are poisonous but the idea that a leaf would blow onto a plate of food, not be spotted by the waiter or the customer, then chewed and digested is extremely fanciful. As for being dangerous to small children, well so are forks but by guess is you don’t use plastic cutlery.
    Rutland, England
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    A rosemary, as already said would do the trick 
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